Open Road Films Acquires Supernatural Thriller Testament

Open Road Films has acquired the U.S. rights to the epic supernatural thriller Testament. Financed by Voltage Pictures, Open Road Films will release the film nationwide in First Quarter 2015. The deal was announced today by Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films and Nicolas Chartier, President of Voltage Pictures. Chartier produces along with Voltage’s head of production Zev Foreman. Lisa Ellzey and Patrick Newall will executive produce. Production is slated to begin March 2014.

Testament focuses on a prestigious boarding school’s science teacher and his students in a remote part of Texas where life is pretty ordinary for this small, tight-knit community. But when the Ten Plagues of the Old Testament descend not only on the town, but the entire world, the teacher and his students are forced to fight for their lives. As blood fills the school’s swimming pool — as fast as it fills rivers, lakes and oceans worldwide — our characters try to comprehend the scope of this cataclysmic event not knowing that nine more unfathomable disasters are about to besiege them — frogs, lice, wild animals, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness. And finally the death of the first born. As the world desperately races to uncover the cause of these phenomena, students and teachers alike must band together to survive these random acts of nature. Or are they? Could it be acts of divine intervention? Fear, panic and imminent doom may not build character, but it does reveal character when teenage heroes are born as the world is coming to an end.

Eric Bress (The Butterfly Effect) will direct Testament from his own screenplay. Casting is currently underway.

Open Road Films CEO Tom Ortenberg stated, “‘Testament’ is a strong high concept story and there is no one better to bring it to life than director  writer Eric Bress. Along with Nicholas Chartier and his team at Voltage Pictures, we anticipate the film will not only appeal to a wide moviegoing audience but that they will also be glued to their seats for what we expect to be an awesome thrill ride.”

Voltage Pictures President Chartier commented, “We’re extremely pleased to be in business with Tom Ortenberg and Open Road Films. They completely understand Eric’s vision of this movie and we are excited to work closely with our new partner to bring this broad and exciting story to life.”